Drive mechanism for motor-vehicles.



C. R. NORTON.

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED vac. 29. 1911.

1,270,650. Patented June 25,191&

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ammatoc C. R. NORTON. DRIVE MECHANISM ron MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29. I917- Patented June 25, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- To all whom it may concern:

PATENT OFFICE.

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DRIVE MECHANISM ron' moroavnnicnns.

Be it known that I, Cmr'ros R. Noa'rolv, a citizen of the United States, and in the Army of the United States, have invented a new and useful Drive Mechanism for-- Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

- This ihvention relates to drive mechanism particularly designed for use in connection with motor trucks, one of the objects of the invention being to provide means whereby an unbroken shaft can be utilized for transmitting motion directly to a wheel capable of swinging relative to its axle to steerthe vehicle.

A further object is to provide mechanism power directly the pro elling uction which not only transmits from the 7 drive shaft to wheel, but also constitutes a speed re means.

A still further object is to provide mechanism of this character which can be completely housed, thus to be protected from mud, dust, etc., and to be capable of operating in grease to insure an easy running mechanism.

A still further object is to rovide drive" mechanism of this character ormed of the minimum number of tparts and whlch f6!- swlngmg movement mits a wide range 0 of the driven wheel, thereby to enable the a shorter turn than has possible where power has pivotally mounted supportvehicle to make heretofore been been applied to ing wheels.

Withthe foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description roceeds, the invention'resides in the comination and arrangement of parts and in tit? form of mechanism whic Referring to the figures by characters of the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the accom anying drawings thcpreferred forms 0 the invention have been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a'central transverse section through drive mechanism constituting the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a view,in dia ram, of. a modified can be used.

of" which is lpeolncatlon of Letters na I Patented June 25, 1918. Application can Member 20, um. hl'lalflo. coarse.

reference 1 designates a vehicle wheel of any desired construction the hub portion 2 adapted to receive the spindle 3 projecting from the yoke member 4 of a knuckle provided at one end of the axle 5, said knuckle being provided with the usual pivot pin 6. 4

Extending from one face of the wheel 1 is a drum 7 which "projects into a housing 8 fixedly secured to and surrounding the end portion of the axle 5.. .A suitable packing,.indicated generally at 9, is interposed between the housing and the outer surface of the drum 2. In orderto insure a tight connection between the packing and the drum 2, said drum is rounded so thatany portion thereof, when hrou ht to position 111 front of the axle 5, wil be concentric with the pivot pin 6.- The wall of the housing 8 is preferably similarly rounded so as to extend close to and parallel with the path of movement of. the drum.

Mounted within the housingS with the axis of its pivot pins 10 intersecting the axis of the pivot pin 6, isthe outer gimbal ring 11 in which is mounted an inner gimbal ring 12 the pivots 13 of which are, as ordinarily, extended at right anlgles to the pivot.

The center of the gearis in vertical a-line-,

ment withthe pivot ,pin 6.

[If desired, and asshown in F ig. 1, flanges lTinay besecured to the sides of the ring 12, thus to lap the' 'sidcs of, the drive pinion l i.- v

,It will be noted that the housing 8 and the drum 7 cooperate to form a sealed in closure in which the drive mechanism is lo cated and, consequently,-said inclosure may be used as alubricant container,

It. will be apparent that when the pinion 1 is rotated, thcposition of said pinion being fixed'relati'v'e to the axle 5, the gear ring 12 enga ed thereby will be rotated and motion wil be transmitted therefrom through.

' 11 andthe housin 8 to the wheel fw .t.

. In view of the part cu ar mountmg of the gimbals, theitoothed ring 12 will be main:

" on the ring 12 will serve not only to maintain provided with drive mechanism such employ beveled gears, tions, and

angular the toothed ring inmesn with the gear 14 but will also serve to hold the lubricant upon the ring 12 and cause it to be conveyed upwardly to the gear 14, thereby reducing 4 friction to the minimum,

It has been found in practice that a wheel as described is capable of swin ing through an arc of 30 degrees or more, t us permitting a very short turn to be made by the vehicle to which the mechanism isap'plied; Furthermore by having an unbroken "straight shaft for driving the wheel, it is unnecessary to interposed shaft sec-- universal joints such as heretofore used. 'On the contrary the construction is greatly simplified and the mechanism 1 is thus less likely to get out of order than heretofore.

In Fig. 3 hasbeen shown in diagram a modified form of drivemechanism in which it is unnecessary .to use the gimbals. linstead a gear 18 is mounted on one face of' the wheel 19 and has its teeth curved from end to end so as to be concentric with the pivotal axis of the wheel as said teeth are brought successively to position in front of the axle. A straight drive shaft 20 is pro vided with a drive pinion 21 the teeth of which are correspondin 1y curved so. as thus to remain in mesh with the teeth of the gear 18 during the angular adjustment of the wheel about its pivot. In other words while the gear 21 is fixed, it becomes possible to swing the wheel'19 about thevertical pivot of its knuckle, those of the teeth of gear 18 in mesh with the gear 21 sliding longitudinally upon the gear 21 during such adjustment and at the same time receiving power from said ear. I i

What is claime is 3 1. In drive mechanism for motor vehicles," the combination with a wheel mounted for adjustment duringllits rotation, of a straight unbroken drive s aft, a ring ear connected to and revoluble with thew eel, and a drive pinion fixed on the shaft and constantly in mesh with-said-lring gear,

2. In drive mechanism for-motoryehicles, the combination withian axle and a wheel mounted thereon,

I shaft, a drive pinion adj uslment 7 relative mounted for angular of a straight unthereto during its rotation, broken drive shaft, a ring gear revoluble with. the wheel, anda drive pinion fixed on the shaft and constantly meshing with said gear to rotate ,the wheel during its angular adjustment.

3. In drive mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination with an axle and a wheel mounted for pivotal movement relative to the axle, of a straight unbroken drive shaft, a pinion fixedly mounted thereon, a ring gear constantly in mesh with the pinion, and a universal driving connection between said gear and the wheel.

4. In drive mechanism for motor vehicles, the combinationwith an axle and a wheel mounted for pivotalthe axle of a gear, gimbals constituting a con nection between the gear and a drive pinion engaging the gear on one of the gimbals.

5. In drive mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination with an axle and a wheel vpivotally mounted relative thereto, of a straight unbroken drive shaft, a pinion thereon, and gimbals connected to and rev oluble with the wheel, one of said gimbals constituting a gear constantly meshing with the pinion;

6. In a wheel pivotally mounted, a broken drive shaft, a drive pinion and gimbals connected to and revoluble with the wheel, one of said gimbals constituting a gear constantly in mesh with the pinion.

7 In drive mechanism for the combination with a wheel mounted for straight, unfixedl the wheel, and

motor vehicles,

drive mechanism for motor vehicles,

pivotal movement, of a straight unbroken" drive shaft, a drive pinion fixed thereon, an

outer olubletherewith, an inner glmbal connected to the outer gimbal, said inner gimbal congimbal connected to the wheel and revstituting a gear constantly meshing with the pinion.

8. .In. drive mechanism for the combination with a wheel mounted for pivotal movement, and a drum extending from the wheel, of a straight unbroken drive the drum,one of the gimbals constituting a testimony that my 'own,

. I CLIFTON 'R. NORTONL.

Witnesses! IVY E. SmrsoN,

HERBERT I). Lawson.

motor vehicles,

fixed on said shaft, and gimbals mounted within and connected to 

